One of two downtown eyesores will come down this spring after the City Council voted Monday to include $2.6 million in its capital improvement budget to demolish 116 Cook Ave. The spending is offset by a $2 million state grant, leaving the city to pay $600,000. Monday’s council vote allows the city to hire a contractor that can begin the demolition as early as February. Phase one of the project is funded at $16.8 million. LaRosa Construction began work in October. The latest project consists of rebuilding three bridges and creating a waterfront linear trail that links to the Meriden Green. The demolition of 116 Cook Ave. clears the way for a planned new senior center in 2028, when the flood control project is expected to be completed. Phase two consists of channel improvements. Costs range from $10.6 million to $39 million based on a variety of factors. Site engineers proposed relocating the 23,000 cubic yards of dredged soil to the 116 Cook Ave. site to elevate it 4 feet out of the flood zone. However, the soil needs to be tested for hazards before engineers can determine whether it will be trucked out of state, at a significantly higher cost.
https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/recordjournal/article/meriden-116-cook-ave-demolition-flood-control-20019702.php